Thursday, September 15, 2005

Ki Heim Chayenu

September 14, 2005NEW ORLEANS — Satisfied that most of his congregants were safe, the rabbi began to worry about the Torahs.

Rabbi Yisroel Shiff of Congregation Beth Israel in New Orleans hoped that his Orthodox synagogue's holy scrolls would come through Hurricane Katrina undamaged. But if not, he wanted them buried in the appropriate manner.

"We bury them with honor, as we would someone we care about — the Torah is the life's blood of our community," Shiff said.